Memoirs of a Redhead
by akw77
Summary: Ever wondered how James Potter and Lily Evans could possibly have gotten together if they hated each other? Ever wondered why they hated each other? In "Memoirs of a Redhead," told in Lily's point-of-view, you learn the whole story of the Potters and their friends and the lives they led before the Harry Potter Series.
1. Magic is Real

I can vividly remember the day I first learned of magic.

It was one of those familiar summer days; the type where it looked as though at any minute, rain would start pouring down from heavy clouds. I had wanted to go to the playground on the outskirts of Spinner's End. It was usually deserted, and while Petunia deemed the place "creepy", it held a certain charm for me. Mummy hadn't wanted to let us go, seeing as it could start pouring down rain at any moment, but she eventually gave us permission.

Petunia and I set out along the dusty path from our little house towards the deserted playground. The day was muggy and still slightly full of the typical English fog. The playground was, as I had guessed, completely empty. The equipment was a bit rusty, and the swings creaked eerily in the slight breeze. The swings were my favorite. I loved the thrill of swinging high over the playground, the feeling that I was flying, and the familiar drop in my stomach as I went too high and came crashing down. I clambered onto the nearest swing and Petunia grabbed the one next to me. I started to move back and forth in the swing, pumping my legs so as to gain altitude. I swung higher and higher.

"Lily, don't do it!" Petunia shrieked at me.

I ignored her admonishments and continued to swing. At the very height of my swing's arc, I let go, and flew into the air. I released a great shout of laughter and landed on the asphalt, far too lightly. I had done this before, and Tuney had tattled to Mummy. But I didn't care that what I was doing was forbidden. It was exhilarating!

"Mummy told you not to!" Petunia stopped her swing by dragging the heels of her sandals along the ground and leapt up, hands on hips. "Mummy said you weren't allowed, Lily!"

"But I'm fine," I laughed. "Tuney, look at this. Watch what I can do."

I loved to show off for her. I could tell that it irritated her, but I couldn't help myself. I picked up a fallen flower from the ground in front of a leafy green bush. Tuney advanced slowly, with a look of disapproval on her face. I held out my hand to her, with the flower nestled in my palm. It sat there, opening and closing its petals, rather like a bizarre oyster.

"Stop it!" shrieked Petunia.

"It's not hurting you," I said, but threw the flower on the ground. Her eyes followed it and lingered upon it.

"It's not right," said Petunia. "How do you do it?" she added, and I could hear the longing in her voice. I flushed a little, knowing that she was jealous, and that I had made her so on purpose. Then a voice startled me out of my thoughts. A new voice; one that I did not recognize.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" A sallow looking boy, of about nine or ten, had jumped out from behind the bushes. Petunia yelled and ran backward toward the swings. I jumped, scared out of my wits, and froze, right where I was. Then I remember the boy's question.

"What's obvious?" I asked.

The boy lowered his voice and said, "I know what you are."

Well, that made no sense. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"You're...you're a witch," whispered the boy. I felt completely insulted. Mummy had read Tuney and I bedtime stories with witches in them. They were always the bad people, always the one trying to hurt the hero and steal his happiness. They were ugly and green, with warts on their long, crooked noses and rode around on broomsticks. Completely ridiculous that I could be one, of course. Anyway, last time I had checked, I had red hair and the only thing green about me were my eyes. The same as my father's. There was no way I was a witch.

"_That's_ not a very nice thing to say to somebody!" I whirled around, nose in the air, and marched off toward Petunia.

"No!" yelled the boy.

Petunia and I considered him. I could almost detect the disdain coming in waves from her, but I felt a bit of curiousity toward the boy in his ridiculously large coat.

"You _are_," said the boy to me. "You _are_ a witch. I've been watching you for a while. But there's nothing wrong with that. My mum's one, and I'm a wizard."

Petunia's laugh was like cold water.

"Wizard!" she shrieked, her courage returned. "_I_ know who _you_ are. You're that Snape boy! They live down Spinner's End by the river," she told me. "Why have you been spying on us?"

The sun came out from behind the clouds and doused us all in bright sunlight just in time for the Snape boy to say, "Haven't been spying. Wouldn't spy on _you_, anyway," he added spitefully, "_you're_ a Muggle."

I didn't understand what the boy meant by "Muggle", but I could tell from his tone that it wasn't complimentary.

"Lily, come on, we're leaving!" Tuney said shrilly. I followed her out of the playground gate, glaring at Snape as I went. We diligently trudged along the beaten path home. Immediately after we entered the house, Petunia began complaining loudly to Mummy about the Snape boy and how "dodgy kids like him should be kept away from decent children like us. After all it was only sensible..." I didn't really agree with her. I knew that I wanted to find out more about this "wizard" stuff. Snape's words had sparked my curiousity and I was determined to know more.

* * *

The next day, I decided that the best way to get more information about the so-called wizardry would be to question Snape. I had no idea where he lived, except that it was somewhere in Spinner's End, which was not incredibly helpful, considering the size of the place. So, I decided that I would go back to the playground in the hope that he would be there. I knew that Tuney would be livid if she knew that I planned to go back; so I would try to slip outside while Mummy was doing her usual grocery shopping and Petunia was watching her favourite Saturday cartoons in the lounge. In the middle of the afternoon, I tiptoed downstairs and past the lounge. Just as I was about to reach the front door, I stepped on the creaky floorboard. I winced and desperately hoped that she hadn't heard.

"Lily?" Oh, bugger. She'd heard.

"What?" I asked, trying to sound innocent.

"Where are you going?"

"Uh, nowhere..." I hoped that she would believe me. No such luck.

"Don't give me that rubbish! I'm not an idiot. Come in here." I slowly walked back to where she was, bracing myself for her inevitable tirade. "Now, where were you going? And don't lie this time."

"I wasn't going anywhere." I knew she would see right through this lie, and I was right.

"Didn't I just say not to lie to me? I can tell when you're lying, Lil. I'm not stupid!" She was getting irritated.

"Could have fooled me..." I muttered, then hurried ahead with my answer, knowing she would not appreciate my wit. "I was just going down to the playground again."

"Why?" Gosh, doesn't she ever stop asking questions? "Don't tell me you were going to talk to that Snape boy about the wizard stuff. I already told you that it doesn't exist!"

"Well, I'm going anyway."

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am."

"I'll tell Mummy." she threatened. As if I cared.

"You do that." Then I turned on my heel and walked out the door, her predictions that I would be kidnapped or worse still ringing in my ears. I ran most of the way to the playground and once again climbed onto the swings. I swung there for a bit, quickly getting bored. Finally, after what seemed like hours, I heard a rustle coming from the bushes. The boy stepped out into the sunlight, looking slightly awkward in his shabby coat and odd smocklike shirt.

"Hullo," he said.

"Hi," I said breathlessly. I slid off of the swing and stood in front of him.

"I'm Severus...Severus Snape." His features twisted slightly as he smiled at me.

"I'm Lily Evans." We stood there in silence for a couple minutes, neither knowing what to say next. Finally, I blurted, "Can you tell me about the wizardry stuff?"

He looked taken aback at my forwardness, but complied eagerly. "There's this school, see? It's called Hogwarts. And you go there when you turn eleven and learn more about magic! Like, how to use it and control it. Stuff like that."

"But how did I get magic?" I asked.

"I dunno. It just happens, I suppose." He beckoned to me to follow him and he led me to a small thicket of trees. He settled down on the ground and I sat cross-legged in front of him. He told me what Muggles were (non-magical people), about his family: his witch mother and Muggle father, about Hogwarts, and about Houses. I had never been more fascinated with anything. The idea that an entire world existed inside the one I knew caught hold of me. I listened raptly as he waxed eloquent about the finer points of the magical world.

"There's a Ministry of Magic and the Ministry can punish you if you do magic outside school, you get letters." he said.

"But I _have_ done magic outside school!" I replied. What if they dragged me off to jail?

"We're all right. We haven't got wands yet. They let you off when you're a kid and you can't help it. But once you're eleven," he nodded importantly, "and they start training you, then you've got to go careful."

There was a little silence. I picked up a twig lying at my feet and twirled it in the air, imagining that there were sparks trailing from it. Then I dropped it and leaned in toward Severus and said, "It _is_ real, isn't it? It's not a joke? Petunia says you're lying to me. Petunia says there isn't a Hogwarts. It _is _real, isn't it?"

"It's real for us," said Severus. "Not for her. But we'll get the letter, you and me."

"Really?" I whispered, hardly daring to believe it.

"Definitely," he answered me.

"And will it really come by owl?" I asked.

"Normally, but you're Muggle-born, so someone from the school will have to come and explain to your parents." said Severus.

"Does it make a difference, being Muggle-born?" This had been worrying me quite a lot as the conversation wore on. He had mentioned a lot about old wizarding families, and I wondered if I would worse off than the rest of them.

Severus hesitated. But finally, "No, it doesn't make any difference."

"Good." I let out an audible breath of relief.

"You've got loads of magic," said Severus. "I saw that. All the time I was watching you..." His voice trailed away, but I wasn't really listening. I stretched out on the leafy ground and looked up into the canopy of leaves overhead, my mind lost in daydreams of magic. _Magic._ It was real. And I was special, somehow. Eventually, I snapped myself out of my reverie and asked, "How are things at your house?"

"Fine." he answered shortly. I was not to be put off.

"They're not arguing anymore?"

"Oh yes, they're arguing," he said. "But it won't be that long and I'll be gone."

"Doesn't your dad like magic?" I inquired.

"He doesn't like anything, much." He obviously wasn't very keen on discussing his parents so I discreetly changed the subject.

"Severus?"

He smiled at me. "Yeah?"

"Tell me about the dementors again."

"What d'you want to know about them for?"

I quickly made up an excuse for my sudden interest in something so creepy as dementors. "If I use magic outside school -"

"They wouldn't give you to the dementors for that! Dementors are for people who do really bad stuff. They guard the wizard prison, Azkaban. You're not going to end up in Azkaban, you're too -"

He turned red and started shredding leaves. Then a small rustling noise behind me made me turn around: Petunia, hiding behind a tree, had lost her footing.

"Tuney!" I exclaimed, surprised but delighted to see her. Severus jumped to his feet.

"Who's spying now?" he shouted. "What d'you want?" Tuney was embarrassed at being caught, I could tell.

"What's that you're wearing, anyway? Your mum's blouse?" she scorned. There was a loud _crack_ and a large branch over Petunia's head fell and caught her on the shoulder, and she staggered backward and burst into tears.

"Tuney!" My inquiries as to whether she was all right died on my lips as she ran away. I rounded on Severus. "Did you make that happen?"

"No." He looked both defiant and scared.

"You did!" I backed away from him in disgust. "You _did_! You hurt her!"

"No - no I didn't!" He protested, loudly. He was lying, that much was obvious. I glared at him fiercely and whirled around and ran after Tuney. I was a fast runner and caught up with her rather quickly.

"Tuney! Wait up!"

"No! Go away, Lily!" I ran up next her and grabbed her hand. She tried to pull away, but I turned her around to face me. There were tears streaked down her pale face, and she looked furious.

"Tuney! Listen to me! I told him not to; it wasn't my fault. You shouldn't be mad at me!"

"Well, I _am_ mad at you, Lily! I _told_ you not to get involved in that rubbish. Didn't I tell you?" She snarled.

"Yes, you did, but -" She wrenched her arm out of my grasp and walked furiously up the path, away from me. "Tuney! Please listen to me!"

"I'm done trying to listen to you. I've had enough trouble from you for one day!" She broke into a run then. I walked slowly after her, recognizing a lost cause when I saw one.

When I reached the house, there was Petunia furiously retelling the day's events to Mum.

"...and then she did something and this great tree fell on me!"

"It wasn't a tree! It was a _branch_, and not a very big one at that!" Mum glared at me and motioned for Petunia to continue. I ignored Mum's glare and continued, "And it wasn't my fault! I already told you, it was Severus! I wouldn't do something like that!"

"Lily." Mum warned me. "I'm trying to listen to Petunia."

"Yeah? Well, she's lying to you to get me in trouble!" I retorted.

"I am _not _lying!"

"Yes, you are!"

"I am not!"

"Yes, you -"

"Girls!" I turned guiltily to meet my mother's glare. "I have heard quite enough from both of you!"

"But Mum..." Petunia whined. Mummy silenced her with a look.

"Go upstairs, both of you. We'll discuss this later."

Petunia stomped upstairs and I followed behind her. I knew that any later discussion we would have on the subject of magic and Severus Snape could hold no good for me. I had, after all, practically run away from Petunia earlier this afternoon, and I had done magic yesterday on the swings, which Mummy had expressly forbidden.

Sure enough, I came out of the discussion with two weeks of punishment, but otherwise unscathed. Petunia wasn't happy that I wasn't in more trouble, but she overcame her attitude toward me, and we made up while brushing our teeth for bed.

* * *

True to Severus's prediction, someone that looked unusual did make an appearance at my house. The doorbell rang rather early in the morning, four days later. I was up early, for once, and was rooting through mounds of clean laundry to find my purple jumper when the doorbell rang. I jumped about five feet into the air and hit my head on the cabinet above the washing machine.

"Oh, bloody hell..." I muttered, but didn't finish my sentence, knowing my mother would hear it and I would be in more trouble. The doorbell rang again and Mum sighed and went to open the door. I faintly heard voices coming from the direction of the door, found the purple jumper and stuffed it over my head. I ran out to see who was calling, and saw a tall, black-haired woman in emerald-green robes. She looked fierce and rather hawk-like, but with a kind demeanor. She stepped inside and shut the door with a snap.

"Might I have a cup of tea?" she asked briskly. Mum stood gaping slightly at her odd appearance until she seemed to realise that she was staring. She shut her mouth quickly and led the woman into the sitting room. I went to help her make tea and asked what the woman wanted.

"Well, actually, she wants to have a word with you." Mummy said.

"With me? What for?" I actually had a pretty good idea what the woman wanted, but didn't say so.

"I guess you'll have to find out." Mum said, with a small smile. I followed her back into the sitting room, where the black-haired woman sat primly on the couch. Mum handed her the cup of tea and retreated to another seat. I sat down as well and waited for the woman to speak.

"My name is Minerva McGonagall. I am a professor at a school. A school of magic." she said with an air of wanting to get the worst over with quickly. Mum dropped her cup on the ground, where it shattered. She payed it no attention, however, but continued to stare at Professor McGonagall as though Professor McGonagall was completely mental. "A school of magic, called Hogwarts." she repeated. "Your daughter, Lily Evans, is a witch. As am I."

"Excuse me? Lily...a witch?" Mum sounded completely dumbstruck.

"Would you like me to prove it?" asked Professor McGonagall. Mum nodded faintly. "Have you ever made something happen, Miss Evans? When you were angry or upset? Something you can't explain?"

"Um, yes." I said awkwardly. "I can do all sorts of things. Not just when I'm angry or upset, I mean. I can do them conciously."

"That's very interesting..." Professor McGonagall said under her breath. Out loud, she said, "Your powers are surprisingly well developed for one your age. I shall be interested to see what you can accomplish with proper training." She smiled slightly at me and I flushed at the praise. "Now for proof." she muttered and promptly turned her teacup into a gerbil. Mum just gaped at it, still completely lost for words. I nudged her with my elbow and she finally seemed to pull herself together.

"So it's not a- not a joke?" she asked weakly.

"No, certainly not." Professor McGonagall didn't look like someone who would joke. "So, I assume that Miss Evans will be attending Hogwarts in the fall?"

Mum asked, "But where will she get one of _them_?" she pointed at Professor McGonagall's wand.

"In Diagon Alley." said the professor simply. "I will, of course, give you directions." She pointed her wand at a piece of paper and then mutely handed it to my mother. "A letter containing a list of necessary school supplies will arrive shortly, by owl. But, now I really must be going. It was nice meeting you and your daughter."

At the mention of owls, my mother leaned back in her chair and again seemed lost for words. So I took over. "Thank you very much for coming. It was nice meeting you as well." I said politely. I led her to the door.

"If you need help finding Diagon Alley, simply send a return letter with the owl that has your Hogwarts letter."

"Okay, I will. Bye, Professor!" I closed the door behind her and leaned against it.

I was going to Hogwarts!


	2. Diagon Alley

I eagerly awaited the arrival of my Hogwarts acceptance letter. I felt as though once I had it, it would be the last piece of evidence I needed to fully believe that magic was real. Part of me was scared that it was all fake, a clever joke concocted by my sister. The bigger part of me embraced the idea that there was this alternate world, existing within mine. In the time I was not spending with Severus, I sat by the window in the kitchen and looked out for my letter. It was Petunia who first saw it. She was skipping rope outside on a muggy afternoon, when a black shape appeared on the horizon. It was an owl. The owl was winging its way towards Petunia and nearly crashed into her in its haste to stop its flight.

"LILY!"

I nearly jumped out of my skin at her voice. Great, what had I done now?

"LILY! Get out here, now!"

I ran outside and there saw a tawny owl, stretched out on the pavement. It was carrying a letter. I ran to the owl and grabbed the letter. The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp.

_Miss L. Evans_

_ The Smallest Bedroom_

_ 8 Greenery Row_

_ Cokeworth_

_ Northern England_

Turning the envelope over, my hand trembling, I saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter _H. _I feverishly ripped open the envelope and unfolded the letter, which was written on the same heavy parchment as the envelope. It read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

_ of_ WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore  
_ (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,__  
__ Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

Dear Miss Evans,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted

at Howarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please

find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no

later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

_ Deputy Headmistress_

It was real. It was all real. I felt as though I could hardly believe it! I was going to Hogwarts! A feeling of euphoria bubbled up inside of me and I turned around to Petunia, who had been reading over my shoulder.

"Tuney, it's real! I'm actually going to Hogwarts!" She tried to disguise her expression of jealousy, but I saw it. "Tuney, are you jealous?" I asked. It was probably the least sensitive thing I could have done, but it was too late.

"Jealous? _Jealous_? Of what? Of you, because you're going away to a freak school?" She asked contemptuously.

"Tuney, I just -" But she had gone. Turned around and ran back inside the house. I stood there, my feeling of happiness draining away as suddenly as it had come, leaving me empty.

"Lily? Are you all right?" His voice startled me and I turned around to face him.

"Oh, hi, Severus."

"Did you get it? The letter."

"Yeah, I did."

"Me too, Lily, me too! You and me, we're going to Hogwarts!" He smiled more brightly than I had ever seen before and ran forward and hugged me. His hug hit me unexpectedly, his sharp shoulder banging into the side of my head.

"Ow, Sev. Get off." I said, with more force than I meant to.

"Sorry, I was just excited." he said awkwardly.

"It's fine."

"Are you okay? You seem upset."

"Do I?" I said, slightly sarcastically. Then in a softer tone, "No, I'm okay. Really."

"You sure?"

"Yes, of course. Anyway, I should go tell Mummy about my letter."

"Okay, see you later, then."

"Bye, Sev." I turned around and retreated into the house. Mum was, of course, thrilled about my Hogwarts letter. I was beyond excited and spent hours with Severus, discussing our plans for our time at Hogwarts.

Finally, it was time to go to Diagon Alley. As she had promised, Professor McGonagall had left instructions for how to get into Diagon Alley. We took a train into London and from there took the Underground deep into the heart of London. Eventually, we found ourselves on a busy street filled with ordinary people. We passed burger stands and book shops; restaurants and cinemas. Nowhere looked as if it could sell me a magic wand. But finally, I saw it. It was tiny, grubby-looking pub with a big swinging sign that read "the Leaky Cauldron."

"It's just over there! D'you see it?" I asked my parents and Petunia excitedly.

"Where? I don't see anything."

"You mean, you can't see it?" I asked curiously.

"Nope, can't see a thing." Petunia replied.

"That's odd. Well, I guess I'll just lead you in."

"There's nothing there, Lily."

"D'you have to argue with everything I say? C'mon." I pulled my family after me and entered the small pub. For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old men whispered conspiratorially in a corner while drinking small glasses of sherry. Quite a few people were smoking long pipes. The smoke made me cough but I continued on into the pub. Mum looked as though she had been recently been hit over the head with a large club. Dad, on the other hand, stared around him with such increduality and enjoyment that I wanted to laugh. The old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut, stopped chatting to a witch in a funny hat and looked over at me.

"Can I help you?"

"Can you help us get into Diagon Alley, sir?"

"Ah, first year, are you? Muggleborn too, I suppose." He looked at me rather shrewdly.

"Yes, sir." I answered back.

"Well come on, then. This way." The bartender led us through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds. He started counting bricks in the wall above the trash can. "Now, three up...two across..." he muttered. "Right, stand back, please."

Then he tapped the brick three times with the point of a stick that I assumed to be his wand. The brick he had touched quivered and wriggled and a hole appeared. It grew wider and wider until they were facing a large archway onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight. The bartender grinned at my amazement.

"In you go, then. You'll be wanting Gringotts first. Over there a ways." he smiled, revealing a dirty couple of teeth.

My parents were gaping at their surroundings with as much awe as I felt. We stepped into the street and the archway closed behind us. The sun shone lazily out through thick clouds onto a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. As we started down the street I turned my head rapidly from side to side, drinking everything in. We passed Eyelops Owl Emporium and a place called Quality Quidditch Supplies. I had no idea what Quidditch was; Severus had never mentioned it. There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and other strange silver instruments, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and musty-looking herbs, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of the same yellowish parchment that my Hogwarts letter had been made of. The people surrounding me were just as interesting as the shops. Most were dressed in very odd clothes: some kind of flowy robes made out of a thick, heavy material that looked very hot. Then, finally, Gringotts. It was a snowy white building that towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a scarlet and gold uniform, was a small wrinkly creature that looked distinctly bad-tempered.

"Look! It's a goblin! Severus told me about them; they look after the bank!" Petunia rolled her eyes at this, but I ignored her. Her bad mood would not damper my high spirits.

"Wow, this is incredible!" Dad pronounced.

"Incredible? It's absolutely mental." Mum said in an awed voice. We hurried up the white marble stairs and into a dimly lit hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. The hall was very crowded.

"Good morning," I said to a free goblin. "We've come to change some of our Muggle money."

"Of course, Miss..."

"Evans."

"Miss Evans, would you like to open an account here at Gringotts?"

I looked to my parents who were looking around with expressions of great enjoyment. They nodded their approval and I turned back to the goblin.

"Yes, please."

"Very well. Now, if you would be so kind as to give me some of your Muggle money and I shall change it into Galleons and place the rest in a vault."

"Thank you, sir." Dad handed over what looked like a couple hundred pounds and the goblin began to change the money. A couple minutes later, the goblin handed me a rather heavy leather bag and a small golden key.

"The bag contains 203 Galleons, 16 Sickles, and 2 Knuts. The key is to your new vault. Please do not lose it, as we will not be replacing it." He said in a bored voice.

"Thanks," I replied and we returned to the main street. I looked to Petunia, who had been watching the proceedings with a look of great disdain on her face. She was hopeless.

I now unfolded a piece of parchment that had come with my Hogwarts letter.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

_ of_ WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY

Uniform:  
First year students will require:  
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)  
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear  
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)  
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)  
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.

Course Books:  
All students should have a copy of each of the following:  
_ The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)__  
_ by Miranda Goshawk_  
__ A History of Magic _by Bathilda Bagshot_  
__ Magical Theory _by Adalbert Waffling_  
__ A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration _by Emeric Switch_  
__ One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi__  
_by Phyllida Spore_  
__ Magical Drafts and Potions _by Arsenius Jigger_  
__ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them__  
_by Newt Scamander_  
__ The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection__  
_ by Quentin Trimble

Other Equipment:_  
_ 1 wand_  
_ 1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)  
1 set glass or crystal phials  
1 telescope  
1 set brass scales_  
_ Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS  
ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

"How about we buy robes first? I think the store's called Madam Malkin's."

"Robes? Who on earth would wear robes in this weather?" I decided to ignore Petunia's stupid comments. She took advantage of my silence by muttering a constant stream of derisive words under her breath. We hurried over to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and entered it. Madam Malkin, a squat, smiling witch, came over to help me.

"Hogwarts, dear?" she said, when I started to speak. "Got the lot here." She led me over to the back of the shop and helped me onto a footstool, slipped a long robe over my head, and began to pin it to the right length. I was soon outfitted with three sets of Hogwarts robes. We stopped to buy parchment and quills next door and then crossed the street to buy a pointed hat and a winter cloak. We then bought my school books in a store called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with hundreds of books. I could have happily stayed there for hours but Mum and Dad lured me out with the promise of ice cream at a shop they had seen earlier. Petunia refused to eat what she called "wizard food" but I got a chocolate and raspberry ice cream. We picked up a cauldron, a set of scales for weighing potions ingredients, and a collapsible brass telescope. Then we visited the Apothecary, where barrels of slimy objects stood on the floor, dried herbs hung from the ceiling, and jars of roots and bright powders were lined up along rickety shelves. Outside the Apothecary, I checked my list again.

"Just a wand and an animal left." I bought a sweet little barn owl at Eyelops Owl Emporium and carrying its large iron cage_, _we were off to buy a wand. Now this was what I had really been looking forward to.

The wand shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters above the door read "Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C." A tinkling bell rang as we stepped inside the shop. It was a tiny place, empty except for a spindly chair that Petunia sank into. There were thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. It was very quiet.

"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. I jumped. An old man stood before me, his wide, pale eyes shining through the gloom of the shop.

"Hello," I said awkwardly.

"Well, now - Miss Evans. Let me see." I did not ask how he knew my name. There was a feeling of secret magic in this shop. It made me slightly nervous. He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Hold out your right arm, please." The tape measure started to measure me by itself, which I found interesting, but which Petunia obviously disliked, judging by her sharp intake of breath.

"Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Miss Evans. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand." Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes. "Right then, Miss Evans. Try this one. Yew and dragon heartstring. Nine and a quarter inches. Pliable. Just take it and give it a wave."

I took the wand and waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it away almost immediately.

"No, obviously not. Here, try this one. Maple and unicorn hair. Seven inches. Rather whippy."

I tried again with the wand, but he took it away just as quickly as before. "Vinewood and phoenix feather. Eleven inches, nice and flexible." I wasn't sure what Mr. Ollivander was waiting for, but I continued to wave wands around. "Ah yes. I think I know just the one." He retreated back behind dusty shelves and returned with yet another narrow box. "Ten and a quarter inches long, unicorn hair core, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."

I took the wand. There was a sudden warmth in my fingers. I raised the wand above my head and brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of blue and gold sparks shot from the end.

"Yes, indeed, oh, very good." I paid seven gold Galleons for my wand, and Mr. Ollivander bowed us from his shop.


	3. Platform Nine and ThreeQuarters

The summer could not go by fast enough. As soon as my head popped off my pillow, I would jump up and mark off another day on my calendar. I spent most of my time, that was not consumed with chores and daydreaming about Hogwarts, with Severus on the playground. It had become our special place; the place he would come to when his parents were fighting again; the place I came to when Petunia and I had a row. The playground became a place of comfort for us both. We spent our days fantasizing about the adventures that would start on September 1.

Petunia was becoming increasingly jealous of my powers, which became even more prominent, and of the spot in my life that Severus now occupied, instead of her. I could see her envy in her eyes and in the tone of her voice. But I made no effort to stop her jealousy. I felt happy that she was jealous of me for something, when I had always idolized her. Our positions were now switched and I enjoyed being the one who was envied.

My suspicions about Petunia were confirmed one day in the middle of August. It was a very hot day and Severus had come home with me from the playground to get out of the heat. Mum offered us popsicles and I dragged him upstairs with me to see my new spellbooks. To get to my room, we had to pass Petunia's. Her door was half open and a familiar letter with a large seal stood out on her neat desk. Severus spied it at once and pushed into her room.

"Severus, come on. We shouldn't be in here."

"Lily, do you see this? It's a Hogwarts letter. I didn't think that she'd be able to contact Hogwarts."

My curiousity overcame my initial dislike of reading other people's mail.

_Dear Miss Evans,_

_ I am very sorry to have to say that you cannot attend Hogwarts. I realise that it must be hard for you to relinquish your sister to us, without being allowed to accompany her. If there was a way for you to come to Hogwarts, please rest assured that I would have done everything to make it possible. Once again, I am very sorry that you will not be able to join us at Hogwarts, but I am sure that your sister will write to you very often and tell you all about Hogwarts._

_ All my regards,_

_ Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts._

"I can't believe a Muggle was able to get a letter to Hogwarts. There must be wizards working undercover in the postal service who take care of stuff like this, or something." He commented.

"I suppose so." I actually felt bad for her, but at least Professor Dumbledore's refusal had been kind. I didn't say anything to Petunia about finding the letter because she would have gone ballistic.

I woke up very early on the morning of September 1st. I was sure a couple of butterflies were permanently lodged in my stomach. I jumped around for a while, trying to get rid of the nervous feeling. I showered, dressed, and brushed my long hair.

"Breathe, just breathe." I continuously muttered to myself. I dragged my heavy trunk downstairs and was greeted by the sound of sizzling bacon and my sister's grumbling.

"Why do I have to go? I don't want to see her off." Petunia said. Her words stung a little, but I brushed them off. I ate my pancakes and bacon then went upstairs to brush my teeth. I came back downstairs to see Mum practically dragging Petunia out to the car and Dad lifting my heavy trunk into the boot. It didn't take long for us to reach London. I savored the last sights of London that I would see until Christmas. I dragged my trunk out of the boot and along with Mum, Dad, and Petunia, crossed the street onto the pavement in front of St. Pancras Station. We crossed the street and entered King's Cross. It was very busy, much busier than what I usually saw on the Underground. We pushed our way through the crowd towards Platform 9. I didn't see a Platform 9 3/4 anywhere. Petunia's derisive laughter rang in my ears.

"They don't seem to have built your platform yet, do they?" she said nastily. I glared right back at her but inside I was starting to panic. Why hadn't Professor McGonagall or somebody told me how to get onto the platform? Perhaps I needed to get out my wand and start tapping bricks. Then I heard it.

"But Mum, why can't I go to Hogwarts?" a whiny little boy was pushing through the crowd, holding tight to his mother's hand."

_Hogwarts._ He had talked about Hogwarts. I edged closer to them to hear their conversation.

"Because you're too young, John. Now, Alice, are you ready? Just hold tight to the trolley and run at the barrier. Best do it at a bit of a run." A small woman with soft brown hair was talking to a girl with a round face and dark hair. She looked about my age.

"Excuse me, but could you tell me how to get onto the platform?" I asked the woman nervously. She started and then turned around to face me.

"Muggleborn, are you? Not that it matters, of course. The platform, yes- just run at that barrier there and you'll be able to get onto the platform."

"Thank you." I said back. The round faced girl ran at the barrier, a look of nervous determination on her face. The woman and the still whining little boy followed her quickly.

"Come on, then." I called to my family. They followed me nervously and we ran at the barrier together.

A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven o' clock. I looked behind me and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words _Platform Nine and Three-Quarters_ on it. I had done it.

Mum, Dad, and Petunia walked through the archway towards me and together we walked towards the train. Smoke from the engine drifted over our heads, while cats of every colour wound here and there between our legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble of the chattering crowd. The first few carriages were already packed with students and I pushed my trolley off along the platform in search of an empty seat. When I found one, I started to shove and heave my trunk toward the train door. I tried to lift it up the steps but I could hardly lift one end of it and I dropped it painfully on my foot about six times.

"Lily?"

"Oh, hey, Severus."

"Want a hand?"

"Yeah, thanks." Together we lifted my trunk and then his onto the train. With Severus's help, my trunk was soon tucked away in a corner of the compartment.

"I'll see you in a bit, Sev. I'm just going to go say goodbye to Mum and Dad."

"All right. I'll come find you soon."

I went off in search of Mum, Dad, and Petunia who were looking around in various states of shock (or in Petunia's case, disgust). I hugged Dad and Mum kissed me on the cheek and then wrapped me in her arms tightly.

"Stay safe and learn a lot, sweetheart." Mum said to me.

"Write often." Dad said, his eyes twinkling. "Don't have too much fun without us." I grinned back at him and then went to Petunia, who was standing a little apart from our parents.

"Bye, Tuney."

"Goodbye." she said stiffly.

"Look, I'm sorry you couldn't come. I wanted you to, really I did." She obviously wasn't listening to me so I raised my voice some. "I'm sorry, Tuney, I'm sorry! Listen -" I caught my sister's hand and held tight to it, even though Petunia tried to pull it away."Maybe once I'm there - no, listen, Tuney! Maybe once I'm there, I'll be able to go to Professor Dumbledore and persuade him to change his mind!"

"I don't - want - to - go!" said Petunia, and she dragged her hand back out of my grasp. "You think I want to go to some stupid castle and learn to be a - a -"

Her pale eyes roved over the platform, over the cats mewling in their owners' arms, over the owls fluttering and hooting at eachother in cages, over the students, some already in their long black robes, loading trunks onto the scarlet steam engine or else greeting eachother with glad cries after a summer apart.

"- you think I want to be a - a freak?"

I struggled against it, but my eyes slowly filled with tears.

"I'm not a freak. That's a horrible thing to say."

"That's where you're going," said Petunia with relish. "A special school for freaks. You and that Snape boy...weirdos, that's what you two are. It's good you're being separated from normal people. It's for our safety."

I got angry then. I glanced toward our parents, who were looking around the platform with an air of wholehearted enjoyment, drinking in the scene. Then I looked back at Petunia, and my voice was low and fierce.

"You didn't think it was such a freak's school when you wrote to the headmaster and begged him to take you."

I watched with satisfaction as Petunia turned scarlet.

"Beg? I didn't beg!"

"I saw his reply. It was very kind."

"You shouldn't have read -" whispered Petunia, "that was my private - how could you - ?"

I gave myself away by half-glancing toward where Severus stood nearby next to a thin, sallow-faced, sour-looking woman who greatly resembled him. Petunia gasped.

"That boy found it! You and that boy have been sneaking in my room!"

"No - not sneaking -" Now I was on the defensive. "Severus saw the envelope, and he couldn't believe that a Muggle could have contacted Hogwarts, that's all! He says there must be wizards working undercover in the postal service who take care of -"

"Apparently wizards poke their noses in everywhere!" said Petunia, now as pale as she had been flushed. "_Freak!_" she spat at me, and she flounced off to where our parents stood.

I sadly left my family and made my way over to the compartment where I had left my trunk. Two boys now occupied it, but I ignored them and went and sat down by the window. The tears that had been welling in my eyes on the platform now spilled out over my cheeks. I dashed them away quickly, trying to make sure that the two boys didn't see. They were taking no notice of me, but were talking about something that had happened at a Kwidditch (or that was what it sounded like) match over the summer.

The compartment door slid open and Severus sat down opposite me. I glanced at him and then looked back out of the window. The train had already carried us out of London. Now we were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. We were silent for a time, and I watched the fields and lanes flick past. At last, I felt compelled to speak.

"I don't want to talk to you." I said in a constricted voice.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Tuney h-hates me. Because we saw that letter from Dumbledore."

"So what?"

I threw him a look of deep dislike.

"So she's my sister!"

"She's only a -" He caught himself quickly, but I didn't really notice as I was trying to wipe my eyes without being seen.

"But we're going!" he said, unable to suppress the exhilaration in his voice. "This is it! We're off to Hogwarts!"

I nodded, mopping my eyes, but in spite of myself, I half smiled.

"You'd better be in Slytherin," Severus said, seemingly encouraged that I had cheered up a little.

"Slytherin?"

One of the boys sharing the compartment, who had shown no interest at all in me or Severus until that point, looked around at the word. He was a slight boy, with an untidy mop of black hair.

"Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" the black-haired boy asked the other kid lounging on the seats opposite him. The other boy had almost shoulder-length dark brown hair and grey eyes. He did not smile.

"My whole family have been in Slytherin," he said.

"Blimey," said the black-haired boy, "and I thought you seemed all right!"

The other boy grinned.

"Maybe I'll break the tradition. Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?" he said.

The untidy-haired boy lifted an invisible sword.

"'Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!' Like my dad."

Severus made a small, disparaging noise. The boy turned on him.

"Got a problem with that?"

"No," said Severus, although his slight sneer suggested otherwise. "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy -"

"Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" interjected the other kid.

They both roared with laughter. I sat up, rather flushed, and looked at the two of them with dislike.

"Come on, Severus, let's find another compartment." I said haughtily.

"Oooooo..."

The two boys imitated my lofty voice; the black-haired one tried to trip Severus as he passed.

"See ya, Snivellus!" one of them called, as I slammed the compartment door shut.

We passed several compartments before we found one that was almost empty. In it was the same round-faced girl from King's Cross. She was talking to another girl with wispy blonde hair that was tied back in a plait. I slid open the door awkwardly.

"Could we sit in here? Everywhere else is full."

"Of course!" The round-faced girl smiled at me and moved her belongings of off the seat to make room for us. I sat down next to her and Severus sat next to the blonde girl who eyed him with something close to disgust.

"I'm Alice Prewett," said the girl next to me said brightly. She had a kind, innocent sort of face, framed in very dark brown hair, almost black.

"I'm Marlene. Marlene McKinnon." said the blonde girl. She was still eyeing Severus strangely, but she smiled at me.

"I'm Lily Evans and that's Severus Snape." I said, pointing at Severus. He looked increasingly uncomfortable and soon excused himself to find the loo.

Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back our door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"

Alice jumped up very quickly and practically ran over to the cart.

"I'll have some Drooble's and a Licorice Wand."

I cautiously made my way over to the cart and picked out the things that looked the most normal.

"May I have a Chocolate Frog and a Pumpkin Pasty, please?" I didn't know how to pay for it, so Alice kindly separated my wizarding money from my Muggle money and helped me with the purchase.

"I just want some Bertie Bott's." Marlene said from her seat and tossed her money to Alice, who caught it and handed her the candy. The cart moved on as we sat back down and Marlene and Alice started explaining to me the magic that was Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, and Licorice Wands. By four o' clock, I had about ten Chocolate Frog cards and a terrible taste in my mouth from a vomit flavoured bean. Alice eventually fell asleep and Marlene and I did the crossword in a magazine called _Witch Weekly_ to pass the time. We woke Alice up at half past seven and we all changed into our Hogwarts robes. I peered out the window. It was getting dark. I could see mountains and forests under a purple sky. The train seemed to be slowing down.

A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

My stomach lurched with nerves and Alice, Marlene, and I joined the crowd thronging the corridor. The train slowed down even more and finally stopped. People pushed their way out to the door and onto a tiny, dark platform. I shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and I heard a booming voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"

A small group detached itself from the main crowd and made its way over to a large man. A very large man.

"Is that a _giant_?" I asked Alice.

"I think he's just a half-giant. At least, that's what my cousins told me. His name's Hagrid and from what I've heard, he's really nice."

"C'mon, follow me - any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, we followed Hagrid down a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of us.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight of Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

We all let out loud gasps. I, for one, had never seen anything so beautiful. The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Alice, Marlene, and I clambered unsteadily into one of the boats. Severus soon followed us into the boat. I noticed the two boys from my original compartment on the train in a boat with Hagrid, who seemed to take up about half the boat. They were all laughing raucously at some joke the brown-haired boy had said.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid. "Right then - FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was a smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. We were carried into a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking us right underneath the castle, until we reached a kind of underground harbour, where we climbed out onto rocks and pebbles. Then we trudged up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. We walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.


	4. The Sorting Hat

The door swung open at once. Professor McGonagall stood there, looking the same as she had in my living room.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here and prepare them for the Sorting."

She pulled the door wide. The stone walls of the entrance hall were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

We followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. I could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a wide doorway to the right. Professor McGonagall showed us into a small, empty chamber off the hall. We crowded in and a short, pudgy boy tripped over my foot and fell flat on his face. He stumbled to his feet a moment later, his face flaming.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term feast will begin shortly, but before it does, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a most important ceremony and should be treated as such. Whatever house you are put in will be something like your family for the duration of your time at Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house within your year, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the House Cup will be awarded to whichever house has the most points. Now, if you will follow me, the Sorting Ceremony is about to begin."

We formed a line and followed Professor McGonagall out of the chamber and back across the hall. Alice, who seemed unfazed by everyone else's nervousness, was keeping up a running commentary of everything we passed, mostly for my benefit.

"Over there, through that window. You see that field? That's the Quidditch pitch. My cousins are on the Gryffindor team. From what I've heard, they're brilliant. And there, that must be Hagrid's hut..."

We walked through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. The tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting.

"Apparently, the ceiling's enchanted to look like the sky outside. Pretty cool, isn't it? Over there! Those are two of my cousins, Gideon and Fabian. They're fourth years. Gideon told me that they got about a hundred detentions in their first year here. He might have been joking though. And that's their older sister, Molly. She's a seventh year and you see that bloke next to her? The one with the bright red hair. That's her boyfriend, Arthur. They've been dating for about a century. You'd think he'd pop the question soon. And there's Adam Martin..."

By the time we reached the platform where the other teachers were sitting, I was completely terrified. What on earth would we have to do? Would it hurt much?

Professor McGonagall stepped forward and placed a four-legged stool in front of us. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing in a croaky voice. I jumped into the air in shock and Alice grinned at my fright.

_ "At a time that has long passed_,  
_ Four founders gathered and created_  
_ This legacy that is set to last_  
_ Over this cause they have united_.

_ Yet divided their ideals were_.  
_ In four houses they were signified_,  
_ Hogwarts is the school that they shared_  
_ Students chosen, so diversified_.

_ Do you possess purity and class?_  
_ You oh sly one need not wait long_.  
_ Always ambitious and never rash_  
_ In Slytherin you would belong_.

_ To the wise with such cutting wit,__  
__ An eagle will soar from above_,  
_ Ravenclaw is your perfect fit_,  
_ Books and learning thou truly love_.

_ To those who are loyal and true_,  
_ Believe that magic is for all_,  
_ Hufflepuff is the house for you_,  
_ Friends who stand by whence you fall_.

_ Do you admire courage and valor?_  
_ In battle thou prefer to be in front_.  
_ You are then a Gryffindor_,  
_ Brave ones who know how to have fun_.

_ Where you'll belong I will show,_  
_ Deep in your heart and mind, I'll look_.  
_ Place you in a house where you'll grow_  
_ To be the best you ever could_.

_ So put me on, there's no need to fear_,  
_ The thinking cap is finally here!"_

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quiet and still again.

"So we've just got to try on the hat?" I whispered.

"Looks that way," said Marlene. Alice nodded.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she announced. "Allen, Martha!"

A girl with caramel colored pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause -

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Martha went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table.

"Avery, Cadmus!"

The hat had barely touched his head before it cried, "SLYTHERIN!"

"Baker, Jenson!"

"RAVENCLAW!" yelled the hat.

"Black, Sirius!" The brown-haired boy from the train stepped forward. I saw a few kids from the Slytherin table sit up straighter to see. The hat was placed on his head. There was complete silence in the room. It went on for minutes before the hat finally shouted:

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The Slytherins looked around with expressions of outrage. A girl with long blonde hair and one with wild, curly black hair put their heads together and started whispering furiously. I didn't understand these reactions at all. Hardly anyone was clapping as Sirius Black swaggered over to the Gryffindor table. Most of the Great Hall was quiet in shock.

I realized that it was almost my turn as "Boot, Theresa" went to Ravenclaw. Then "Carter, Eli" went to Hufflepuff and "Clayworth, Arabella" and "Crabbe, Irma" both were sorted into Slytherin in quick succession.

"Evans, Lily!"

I walked forward on trembling legs. Every eye in the Great Hall was focused on me. Selfconciously, I pulled myself onto the rickety stool. Professor McGonagall dropped the Sorting Hat onto my head. The next thing I saw was the black inside of the hat. I waited.

"Hmm," said a small voice in my ear. "A good amount of loyalty, I see. Very ambitious and intelligent. There's great potential for you, oh my goodness, yes. Plenty of courage. You would do well in any of the houses. However, I think you would do best in GRYFFINDOR!"

I heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. I took off the hat and walked shakily to the cheering Gryffindor table. I glanced back at Severus and shot him a small, apologetic smile. When I reached the Gryffindor table, Sirius Black moved up the bench to make room for me. I took one look at him, remembered the way he had acted on the train, folded my arms, and firmly turned my back on him.

The roll call continued. "Gilbert, Macy" became another Gryffindor girl. "Langdon, Tessa" went to Ravenclaw. "Lloyd, Abby" joined Macy, Sirius, and I at the Gryffindor table. Then a sickly looking boy, with light brown hair and kind blue eyes, named Remus Lupin sat down with us.

"McKinnon, Marlene!" I crossed my fingers under the table.

"GRYFFINDOR!" I clapped loudly for her and she sat down next to me, beaming.

Then "Mulciber, Castor" became another Slytherin. The boy who had tripped over my feet before the Sorting (Pettigrew, Peter) went to Gryffindor.

"Potter, James!"

The other boy from the train stepped forward. He got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "GRYFFINDOR!" He tried to sit next to me at the Gryffindor table, but when I made my feelings on this arrangement quite plain, he went to sit with Sirius with a satisfied smirk on his face.

"Prewett, Alice!"

_ Please be Gryffindor, please be Gryffindor!_ I thought anxiously to myself.

"GRYFFINDOR!" Marlene and I cheered loudly for her along with the rest of the table. Her redheaded cousins that she had pointed out earlier were chanting something that I couldn't make out while cheering and clapping raucously.

"Rosier, Evan" became another Slytherin before Severus was finally called. I didn't hold much hope for him being a Gryffindor. He placed the hat on his head.

"SLYTHERIN!" cried the Sorting Hat. Severus moved off to the other side of the Hall, away from me, to where the Slytherins were cheering him. An older boy with blond hair and a gleaming prefect badge patted Severus on the back as he sat down beside him.

The last few people were sorted, but I wasn't really listening. Alice and Marlene were already chatting away and the Sorting seemed to have lost the attention of most of the people in the Hall.

I occupied myself by looking up at the High Table. In the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. I recognized him from a Chocolate Frog card that Marlene had gotten on the train.

"SLYTHERIN!" yelled the hat. The last boy made his way over to the Slytherin table. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away. I looked down at my empty gold plate. My stomach growled at the same time that Alice said:

"I'm hungry! Professor Dumbledore needs to hurry up and say his piece so we can eat."

Professor Dumbledore got to his feet. He was beaming at us, his arms opened wide in welcome.

"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! There is a time for speech making, but this is not it!" He sat back down abrubtly.

My mouth fell open. The dishes in front of me were now piled with food. There was roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fish and chips, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, and gravy.

I piled up my plate with as much as it could hold and began to eat. It was all delicious. When we had all eaten as much as we could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparking clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavour, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, rice pudding, and more. I tried a little bit of everything except the rice pudding. At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.

"Just a few more words now that we are all fed. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should know that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to everyone. I have also been asked by the caretaker, Mr. Pringle, to remind you that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone wishing to play for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. Now, off to bed, all of you!"

All the first years stood up uncertainly. A boy and girl with shining badges hurried over to us.

"I'm Ellie Clarke," the girl said briskly. "And this is Adam Martin. We are the Gryffindor prefects. Now, if you will follow us, we will show you the quickest way to the Gryffindor common room. Follow me please!"

We followed the two prefects out of the Great Hall and up the marble staircase. The people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as we passed. Alice had started her commentary again.

"The staircases even move!" she whispered excitedly.

Twice Ellie and Adam led us through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. We climbed more staircases. Marlene was yawning widely and dragging her feet. At the very end of a corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.

"Password?" she said.

"Gillyweed," said Ellie very clearly. The portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. We all scrambled through it - Peter Pettigrew needed a leg up - and found ourselves in the Gryffindor common room. It was a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs and a blazing fire.

"Over here, please." called Adam. We crowded around them.

"Classes start at precisely nine o'clock," said Ellie. "Professor McGonagall will hand out your schedules tomorrow. I would suggest you get a head start to your classes tomorrow, as it's very easy to get lost. Both Adam and I will be available if you need help. Now, Adam will show the boys to their dormitory. Girls, follow me."

We followed Ellie up a spiral staircase. She showed us into a into a large circular room with the sign _First Year Girls_ on the door. Inside, we found our beds at last: five four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. Our trunks had already been brought up. Abby ran for the bathroom at once to brush her teeth and took entirely too long. Alice was reduced to banging on the door with her Transfiguration textbook to get her to give up the bathroom. Abby abruptly opened the door and the textbook hit her in the face. Macy screamed and ran over to Abby, whose nose was bleeding copiously.

"Abby! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hit you." Alice apologized.

"S'okay." said Abby through a wad of tissues that Macy had thrust at her. Through all her tiredness, Marlene was still able to laugh hysterically at the whole situation.

When we had all changed into our pajamas and brushed our teeth, we fell into bed.

"Night all!" exclaimed Alice brightly. She had way too much energy. Marlene seemed to be already asleep and Macy and Abby were talking quietly on Macy's bed. I lay down and fell asleep almost at once.


	5. The Meeting of the Marauders

James followed Adam-the-prefect up the stairs to the boys' dormitory. Adam pushed open the door and beckoned them all inside.

"Come on in. This will be your dormitory for the duration of your stay at Hogwarts. Your trunks are by your beds."

He left the four boys together in the room. There was an awkward silence at first until Sirius broke it.

"I'm Sirius Black, everyone. What're all your names? Besides James, I know him already." He winked roguishly at James, who smirked back at him.

"I'm Remus Lupin." The brown-haired boy answered with a slight smile.

"I-I'm Peter." The other boy stuttered.

Awkward introductions over, the four boys went to their beds and began to unpack their trunks. Sirius had a strange routine which involved a lot of flying clothes. Remus neatly folded his and nobody really noticed Peter. James lolled about on his bed and laughed at Sirius's antics. He didn't bother unpacking at all. No one really cared if James Potter had on wrinkled robes anyway.

"What are you most looking forward to about Hogwarts?" Remus asked tentatively.

"Quidditch," James replied, without hesitation.

"Learning to use a wand, I guess. Mum never let me near hers." Peter said.

"I don't know, definitely not classes though." answered Sirius.

"I'm glad to see education is so important to you, Sirius." said James sarcastically.

The next morning saw the four boys running down the Hogwarts halls, desperately trying to get to the Great Hall before breakfast was over. They had started out on time, but Peter had tripped and fallen into a trick step. Remus spent the better part of an hour trying to pull Peter out, while James and Sirius just laughted.

When they finally reached the Great Hall, they had barely any time to eat. Sirius, however, had no problem in stuffing as much food as was in arm's length into his mouth in the half an hour until their first class. Remus and Peter quickly excused themselves and hurried off to Charms.

"We should probably go to class." James said reluctantly.

"Nah, we still have time." Sirius replied, taking another swig of pumkin juice.

Ten minutes later, they followed a group of three first year girls out of the Great Hall.

"Going to Charms?" Sirius asked.

A redhead answered, "Yes."

"What's your name, anyway?"

"Lily Evans." she replied stonily. "And this is Alice and Marlene." she indicated the two girls next to her.

"You're the one with that slimy git as a friend."

"Don't call him that! He's not a slimy git!" Lily said, her voice rising. "Don't make fun of him."

"Whatever you say, Evans. We won't bother Snivellus..." He and James walked away. "...for now." he finished. James laughed back at this remark.

"Snivellus? Where'd you come up with that one?" James asked, smirking.

"I dunno. It fits though, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it does. I wonder why she hangs out with him?"

"No idea, don't let it bother you."

"It doesn't bother me. I just don't think she should be so rude, do you? Maybe we should teach him a lesson."

"James, I have a feeling that this is the start to a great friendship." Sirius smiled evilly.


	6. A Bad Beginning

After that aggravating conversation with Sirius Black and James Potter, we hurried down the Charms corridor to class. We were very nearly late, but slipped into the room just as the bell rang.

"Nearly late, girls! I'll excuse you this time because you're still finding your way around." A squeaky voice greeted us.

I stopped in my tracks at the sight. Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who was standing on a pile of books to see over his desk. I had not been expecting this at all and continued to stare at him in amazement as Alice, Marlene, and I made our way over to our seats. We were on the same row as Sirius Black and James Potter and the former winked at me annoyingly. I felt an insane urge to kick him.

"We'll only be studying the theory of Charms today. Later in the week, we should be able to try out some actual charms."

"No magic?" I heard Potter whisper to Black. "Waste of time, this."

I glared at him and faced front. Alice looked at me strangely, but didn't enlighten me with whatever was on her mind. We took out parchment and ink and began to take notes on the theory of Charms.

After Charms, we hurried along the castle corridors and then outside to our next class, Herbology. Curious to find out what Alice had been thinking earlier, I asked her to explain herself.

"It's just, you hardly know James and Sirius, and I can't help but think that maybe you're being a little hard on them." She explained.

I didn't really agree with her, but decided to appease her anyway.

"Maybe you're right. But I just can't believe that they would make fun of my friend that way." I answered.

"Alice, don't tell Lily what to do. It's really none of our business." Marlene interjected. "Besides, she was just standing up for her friend."

Alice shrugged her shoulders and we continued to walk to Herbology in companionable silence.

Herbology was taught by a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout. We learned what the basic groups of magical plants and fungi, memorized the sub-groups, and were promised a quiz during the next class.

"I think I'm going to like Herbology." Alice mused on our way back up to the castle.

"I thought it was a bit boring, to be honest." Marlene replied. I knew that she was looking forward to Defense against the Dark Arts, which we didn't have until the next day.

After break, we made our way to Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall was a very strict teacher. She almost gave the first detentions of the year (to Potter and Black). However, looking past that, she was a brilliant professor. I decided that, so far, she was my favorite teacher, although Charms was a better subject. She turned her desk into a pig for us and I was very impressed until I realised that we wouldn't be doing anything of the sort for a long time. After taking a lot of complicated notes, she gave us each a match and we were instructed to try to turn it into a needle. According to my notes, the trick was to imagine it happening while saying the correct incantation. I wasn't able to do it and became increasingly frustrated, especially when I saw James Potter turn his match into a perfect silver needle. I tried harder after this and by the end of the class it had, at least, gone all pointy at the end. The bell rang soon after that, and I left hurriedly to avoid seeing Potter's smug face.

"Ah, the first years!"

My first impression of the speaker was one of a large man smiling jovially at us. At a second glance, I took in his quivering blond mustache and twinkling eyes.

"Welcome to Potions, first years! Please take your seats and we'll get started."

We again took a number of notes and in the last half hour of class, we started our first potion.

"Now, this is just a simple Cure for Boils. All the ingredients should be in your potions kit, and the instructions can be found on page 4 of _Magical Drafts and Potions_."

As we began to crush snake fangs in a mortar, Alice began to complain.

"I really hate Potions."

"I think I like it, so far." I said.

She waggled a snake fang in my face. "You like these?"

"I wouldn't say that I like them, but they don't bother me much."

"Did you know that you have to be good at Potions to be an Auror?" Marlene asked.

"What's an Auror?"

"Dark wizard catcher," Alice replied. "Do you want to be an Auror, Marlene?"

"Yeah, I think so. At least, that's what my dad wants me to do. He's an Auror."

"There are dark wizards?" I asked in surprise.

"Yeah, they were all in Slytherin, of course." Marlene said.

"There hasn't been a single witch or wizard who went bad that wasn't in Slytherin." Alice informed me.

I looked over at Severus. He was bent over his cauldron, a look of deep concentration on his face. What if he went bad? He was in Slytherin. There was much I didn't understand about this new world.

Later in the week, we had flying lessons. I was particularly nervous about this, as I had never even seen a flying broom before. The first years slowly made their way to the pitch. A large number of broomsticks were lined up on the ground. The flying teacher, Madam Hooch, began giving orders as soon as we arrived.

"Nobody touch the brooms just yet. Stand next to a broom now."

I picked a decrepit looking broom next to Marlene. The twigs on the tail of the broomstick jutted out at odd angles and there was a rusty little plaque on the handle that read _Comet 280._

"These brooms are nothing compared to mine back at home." I heard James Potter say loftily to Sirius Black.

"Yeah, these are awful." Black replied, kicking his.

I looked over at Severus, who seemed a bit nervous. I smiled encouragingly at him and he brightened.

"Snivellus looks like he's about to wet his pants." Potter whispered in a carrying whisper. Severus turned towards him and stuck his tongue out.

"Ooooo. The ickle boy stuck his tongue out at us. I'm so scared!" Black said in a sing-song voice, pretending to shake with fear. Severus's face turned beet red and he started forward. Just in time, Madam Hooch began to instruct us again.

"Now, place your hand over your broomstick and say 'up.'"

Choruses of "up" rang out all over the pitch. My broom just rolled over on the ground. Potter's had immediately jumped into his hand. I tried again. And again. And again. Alice had gotten it on the second try, Marlene was still working on it, but her broom was much more responsive than mine. I was determined to do it. I tried again. Marlene's broomstick was now quivering in her hand. Potter and Black were staring at my failures with looks of open amusement.

"UP!" I almost yelled. This time, finally, it had worked. The broom jumped into my outstretched hand.

"Very good, everyone," Madam Hooch announced. "Now, climb carefully onto your broom and wait for my word."

We all clambered onto our brooms. Peter Pettigrew's swayed dangerously in the air as he climbed on. Madam Hooch was already flying above us as she yelled, "Kick off from the ground!"

I kicked off and we all hovered above the ground.

"Well done! Ready to try some real flying?" Madam Hooch asked.

We began to fly in straight lines, no more than five feet above the ground. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Potter take his wand out of the pocket of his robes and mouth, "Watch this" to Black. He pointed his wand at Severus and said something I could not hear over the wind.

Immediately, Severus's broom began to buck and roll in the air. He shot at least twenty feet into the air and then dived down to the ground. He began to rise again and rolled over until he finally lost his grip on the broom and plummeted toward the earth. He hit the ground with a sickening crunch.

A couple girls screamed and Madam Hooch raced to him. We all landed as best we could and crowded around them. He had a nasty looking bruise on his forehead and he looked paler than ever.

"How hurt is he?" I asked frantically.

"A couple of broken ribs, I think."

There was a collective gasp at her words.

"I'm taking him to the Hospital Wing. If any of you come near those brooms, I'll make sure you're expelled." Madam Hooch said severely. She looked very angry. She marched up towards the castle with Severus cradled in her arms. As soon as she was out of sight, I rounded on Potter.

"What is your problem?"

"My problem? I think he was the one who had the problem. Did you see his flying?" He grinned and there was some scattered laughter.

"I saw you hex him!" My voice began to rise and I could feel my face heating up with anger.

"Can you prove anything?" He asked smoothly.

"No, but..."

"Then how do you know it was me?"

"Because I saw you!"

"Alright, it was me. Happy?"

"No, of course not. Why did you hex him. He'd done nothing to you!"

"It was just a joke!" He protested.

"And you're just a bully."

"You're a know-it-all, Evans."

I had had enough of this. I grabbed Alice and Marlene by the elbows and, still fuming, marched off to the Hospital Wing to visit Severus, with James Potter's laughter still ringing in my ears.


	7. Lycanthropy

The full moon was fast approaching, as Remus was fully aware. The date was marked on the calendar beside his bed. Every night, he looked at it and shuddered. Every day he lived in fear that his friends would discover his lycanthropy and abandon him.

As the full moon grew closer, Remus became more tired and sickly-looking. Great bags beneath his eyes grew and continual headaches plagued him. James and Sirius were giving him strange looks when they thought he wasn't paying attention.

"Is something wrong, Remus?" James asked after Charms one Tuesday.

"Just tired." He answered shortly. "I've had a lot of homework."

"Wait, you actually do that stuff?" Sirius asked, smirking.

Remus gave him a look. "I know you do too."

Sirius shrugged and continued to walk down the corridor. James held Remus back by the arm.

"Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yeah, fine."

"Okay," James replied skeptically.

Remus could tell that he wanted to pursue the matter further, but was glad that he didn't.

The day of the full moon, Remus was held back after Transfiguration.

"Mr. Lupin, if you could stay here for a moment." Professor McGonagall asked.

He walked up to her desk and waited for her to begin.

"As I am sure you know, tonight is the full moon."

He nodded.

"I will collect you from the Gryffindor common room a few hours before sundown. From there I will take you to the Entrance Hall, where Madam Pomfrey will be waiting for you. She will escort you to a tree on the grounds. A tunnel under this tree will lead you to a house in Hogsmeade that Professor Dumbledore has built for your transformations. Madam Pomfrey will come get you from there tomorrow morning. Is all of this clear?"

"Yes, Professor."

"Very well. You may go."

Remus turned to leave. He was almost to the door when McGonagall called out to him.

"Oh and Lupin? You may have the tomorrow off to recuperate."

"Thank you, Professor."

Remus walked into lunch very late. He slid onto the bench next to Peter and pulled the steak and kidney pie toward him.

"What did McGonagall want?" Sirius asked.

"She, uh...told me that my mum's sick." Remus felt terrible about lying to his friends, but he knew that he had no choice. Aside from the fact that Dumbledore had made him promise not to tell anyone one, Remus was convinced that his friends would abandon him if they knew the truth.

"I'm sorry. Is it bad?" asked James.

"I don't know. I'm leaving tonight to go home for a few days though."

"I hope she feels better."

"Thanks, Pete."

After classes, the four were sitting at one of the tables in the common room when McGonagall entered. The boisterous noise in the common room immediately ceased as she walked over to where the boys sat.

"Are you ready, Lupin?"

Remus stood up and made to follow her out of the common room.

"Hope your mum feels better!" James yelled out.

Remus smiled weakly at him.

Outside the portrait hole, Remus ran to keep up with McGonagall.

"You told them that your mother was sick?" she asked.

"Yeah, I did."

"That was clever, Lupin. You'll be able to use that story again."

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and he could see that look that he hated so much. It was pity. He hated it when people pitied him. Yes, he was a werewolf. Yes, he had been bitten at very young age. Yes, he would be an outcast if anyone knew. But he was still human; and goodness knew that he felt sorry enough for himself without anyone else pitying him as well.

Remus didn't know what to say, so he remained in silence until they reached the Entrance Hall. Madam Pomfrey was waiting there for them, with a large stick in her hands.

"This is where I leave you," McGonagall said. "Good luck, Lupin."

"Thanks."

With a strained smile, McGonagall made her way back into the warm light of the castle.

"Right this way, please." Madam Pomfrey said, leading Remus away from the castle. "Is there anything that I can do to make this more bearable?"

"Not that I can think of," Remus admitted. "There's not much that could make it more comfortable, is there?

"Nothing that we've heard of yet," Madam Pomfrey said with a hint of sadness in her voice. "But we'll keep searching. There's bound to be something out there."

Remus nodded.

They headed down to the lake and then turned to where a large, ominous tree stood. Its bulky branches swayed and quivered even though there was no wind. As they drew nearer, one of the biggest branches waved menacingly and then crashed down toward them. It just missed them.

"This Whomping Willow is very rare. Professor Sprout is particularly happy with it."

She sidestepped a few more leafy branches and prodded her long stick at a knot at the base of the trunk. The swaying branches froze.

"In you go, dear," she pointed at a small tunnel at the base of the tree. "Not much time now."

Darkness engulfed them, but she raised her wand and muttered something indecipherable. Light flooded the tunnel and after blinking furiously, he could see ahead of him. In front of him was a very long tunnel. It was very low and bits of hairy roots were sticky out of the dirt walls. A very earthy smell met his nostrils and he sneezed.

"Come on," said Madam Pomfrey, pushing him gently in the back.

The tunnel seemed to go on forever. There was no knowing time down there, but Madam Pomfrey didn't look worried. When he stepped up into the house, he surveyed his surroundings - the place he would now spend most of his full moons in for the next seven years. It was a wooden house. The doors and windows were boarded shut, and probably charmed several times to make the boarding unbreakable. There was nice furniture and a fireplace. Why a transformed werewolf need a fireplace was beyond him, but the gesture was nice. A narrow staircase led up to a second story where there was a bedroom in which was a big, comfy bed.

"Now, just lay down and rest. I'll be back for you in the morning. Goodnight, Mr. Lupin."

And she left him alone.

He did not have to wait long. The full moon rose slowly- he could not see it, but he could feel it coming. Too soon, violent convulsions began to rack his fragile body. Lines of fire ran through his veins and his head was pounding. Shivers ran along his spine and his back arched with the pain. His legs and arms lengthened and thickened and the horrible, coarse hair sprouted all over his body. As it grew in, it itched terrible and he wanted to tear his skin off. His vision sharpened; the colors changed. The pain was horrible. It was much worse than usual. A raw scream erupted from his lips. He was deaf to the tortured screams that came unchecked from his throat. A second later, all his human senses had left him. The screams changed into howls of pain and agony.

Then, the transformation was complete and Remus knew no more.

The werewolf stood upright on the bed and howled to the moon.


End file.
